Trame vs ServiceM8
The ServiceM8 alternative that doesn't count your jobs
ServiceM8 gives you unlimited users and then meters your work. Trame is £29 with nothing counted: not users, not jobs, not invoices.
30 days free. No card, no commitment.
A busy month, per month
One line, enquiry to paid
The enquiry becomes the quote, the quote becomes the job, the job becomes the invoice. Nothing re-typed, nothing copied between apps. Everyone else sells you the middle.
Quote in minutes
Your rates load from the price book. Adjust, send, get one-tap sign-off.
Every job, one screen
Enquiry to paid invoice, the whole business at a glance.
Built for the van
Send from site, and your customer accepts with one tap on their phone.
What you get with Trame
Everyone else runs quote to paid. Trame runs enquiry to year end.
Three people or ten, £29. Adding a person never changes the bill.
No job counter. A busy month costs the same as a quiet one.
Invoicing a contractor? The 20 per cent comes off the labour, not your materials, and the invoice shows what they will actually pay.
Enquiry, price book, send. One coherent flow on any phone's browser, iPhone or Android.
Card and Pay by Bank through your own Stripe account. The amount invoiced is the amount owed to you.
You write in, the founder answers. No ticket queue, no tier-gated support.
Side by side
| Trame | ServiceM8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | £29 flat | £25 to £269, by jobs per month |
| What the price depends on | Nothing, it never moves | Jobs done: 50 on the £25 plan, 150 on the £59 plan |
| Users | Unlimited | Unlimited on paid plans |
| VAT on the price | None. £29 is the total | Not included, 20% on top |
| Free trial | 30 days, no card | 14 days, plus a free plan (1 user, 30 jobs) |
| Commission on invoices | 0% | Unlisted |
| CIS deductions | Not advertised | |
| Reverse charge VAT | Not advertised | |
| Making Tax Digital | 2026 roadmap | Not advertised |
| On your phone | Web app, works the same on any phone | Built for iPhone and iPad, a Lite app for Android |
| Accounting | FreeAgent, Xero and QuickBooks exports | Xero, QuickBooks and MYOB sync |
ServiceM8 details from their own UK pricing page, checked 25 August 2026. Their page states prices do not include VAT. “Not advertised” means the feature does not appear on ServiceM8's own UK site, which is not the same as it being absent from the product.
Which should you pick
When Trame is the better pick
Your week is quoting, doing the work and getting paid, and nothing about it should be counted. The CIS comes off the labour line by itself, the invoice chases itself, and your expenses are already in HMRC categories at year end. £29 total, on any phone, whatever the month brings.
When ServiceM8 is the better pick
ServiceM8 also refuses per-user pricing: unlimited people on every paid plan, and a free plan for one person. If you run a bigger iPhone-based crew doing a steady number of jobs a month, its team economics can beat ours. It meters jobs, adds VAT on top, and its UK site does not mention CIS or the reverse charge.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trame a good alternative to ServiceM8?
If you are a UK sole trader or small team, especially on CIS work or on Android, yes. ServiceM8 is strong on team size (unlimited users on every paid plan) but meters your jobs (50 a month on the £25 plan), adds VAT on top, is built Apple-first, and its UK site does not mention CIS or the reverse charge. If you run a bigger iPhone-based crew doing a steady volume of jobs, ServiceM8 can be the better fit.
Can I bring my customers over from ServiceM8?
Yes. Import a CSV of your customers into Trame, build your price book from the rates you already charge, and your first quote goes out the same day.
How long does it take to get started?
One sitting. Add your company details, import your customers, build your price book, and your first quote is out the same day. The 30-day trial means you can run it next to ServiceM8 while you decide, without a card.
What does Trame not do?
Trame runs in the browser rather than as an installed app, has no free plan (a 30-day trial instead), does not send gas or electrical certificates, and Making Tax Digital support is in progress on the 2026 roadmap, not live today.
What happens if I stop paying?
You cancel from settings, no notice period, and the downside is one month. Your data exports to CSV whenever you want it, and the quote and invoice links your customers already have keep working even after you stop.
Less admin.
Get paid.
One price, whole business. 30 days free, no card.